The Giant Turtle Rock Platform lay quietly on the surface of this primitive, untamed planet. A rift silently opened above the ship, and several small things glowing with a faint blue light flew out of it. Like fireflies in the night, they circled the ship twice before scattering toward the depths of the pitch-black jungle, quickly vanishing into the thick darkness.
The images sent back by the probes were soon relayed to the holographic devices still functioning on the bridge. They showed a dense, primitive jungle, with the occasional ruins and wreckage visible among the trees. To conserve the mainframe's resources, Nolan had transformed into a miniature form only a few inches tall. She lay beside the projector and pointed at the images. "I suggest you take this route. It's a little farther, but easier to traverse. More importantly, the trees are sparse enough that you'll be able to see the sky."
"Honestly, going out to map the area at night isn't a good idea." Nangong Sanba shook his head. "Are you really not going to wait until dawn before setting out?"
"Night is inconvenient for some people, but entirely different for others." Vivian folded her arms across her chest and smiled confidently. "My perception and combat ability are both stronger under the cover of darkness than in the daytime. Big Dog's eyesight is better at night too, so the supposed inconvenience of operating at night doesn't exist for us. Besides, gathering information is our top priority right now. Without information, the longer we stay in the ship, the more uncontrollable things will become. The sooner we explore, the better."
As an eminently qualified member of the dark races—although her bloodline was now somewhat difficult to classify—Vivian's words were naturally quite convincing. Nangong Sanba thought about it and agreed, so